Frieda and Diego

Frieda Kahlo has ascended to pop culture deity status, her likeness adorning magnets, totes and tee shirts world wide.  She's a favorite Halloween costume among woke girls and women alike so it was no surprise that tickets to La Casa Azul were in high demand.  In spite of the hype, the tour was incredible.  To stand in the rooms where she spent her formidable years and later lived and suffered with her inimitable husband Diego was affecting.  Her chronic illness and broken body were the catalyst for her iconic style and contributed to her renowned self portraiture.  When Patti Smith stood next to the bed where the artist laid, butterflies on the ceiling, a gift from Noguchi and a mirror at the foot of the bed she was inspired to write these words:

I can not walk

I can not see

further than what

 is in front of me

I lay on my back

I do not cry

transported in space

by the butterflies.

Above my bed

another sky

with the wings you sent

within my sight

all pain dissolves

In another light

transported thru time

by the butterfly.

Our ticket to Casa Azul also included entrance to the lesser known Museo Anahuacalli, Diego Rivera's architectural masterpiece built from local lava rocks to house his impressive collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts.  Under dark skies and intermittent raindrops we were awestruck when we entered the plaza and saw the imposing temple.  We wandered the vast, deserted museum dizzy with good fortune to have stumbled upon this gem.  We engaged in an informative conversation with an Ohioan who was knowledgable about ceremonial artifacts, and later, while we sipped beverages in the cafe, he told us about his early years working for Cesar Chavez, "a genuine article".   Even though I pack more activities into the day when I'm traveling, time also slows down, making room for unforeseen exchanges and experiences.  

Pepto Bismol Pink

Determined to break out of pandemic patterns of behavior I immediately responded yes when Madwhip proposed a spring trip to Mexico City.  I truthfully don't want to be in an office everyday, constrained by meetings and walls, but I've also grown weary of remote work.  Although, juggling deadlines, meetings and travel can be stressful, I know how important it is to reclaim my life and seize adventures as often as possible.  So here I am in Mexico City, exploring Polanco, a neighborhood I've never been in before, where our airbnb is located.  Posh, surrounded by parks and high end boutiques, it's quiet and tranquil.  

We set off on foot to Condessa, the buzzing neighborhood where Julie and Francisco live.  Distracted by our conversation (so much catching up to do) I had no awareness of the miles we traversed.  Caught in an unexpected downpour, I made a makeshift hat out of a plastic bag and continued on.  We had a delightful and delicious home cooked, Mallman-inspired, meal and I relished in the connections formed during the production of SPLIT AT THE ROOT.   I hadn't even been in CDMX for 24 hours and I was already beaming with joy.

And then in the middle of the night, the telltale signs of travelers' revenge struck.  It couldn't be. I'd barely eaten and had been in the country for less than 24 hours.  I tried to rally the next day, walk around the park and neighborhood, but a weak stomach and acclimating to the altitude made me retreat to the apartment.  Close to the bathroom is where I needed to be.

The next day I willed myself to feel better, and I did, but not quite one hundred percent, so I could partake in the tour Mad Whip had scheduled with a private guide, who turned out to be quite quirky,  named Monica.   We visited two structures — The Lovers' Fountain, a trough for horses in the residential enclave, Los Clubes and Cuadra San Cristobal a nearby private estate encompassing a house and horse stables. Truthfully, I was not very familiar with Louis Barragan's work but I immediately saw his influence in the field of architecture and design.  I was BLOWN AWAY by his minimalist aesthetic, and ability to frame and reframe the conversation with his box like structures.  His use of color, particularly Pepto Bismol pink (oh, the irony as I wilted in the sun) was absolutely stunning and unexpected.